


Maybe it's For the Best

by fuckuimgay



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: I'm sorry Will, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Mortal AU, background percabeth, hazel is the sister we all need, i promise will doesn't die this time, thalia's in a band, this won't be full angst i promise, we love a strong sibling relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 02:51:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16568207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckuimgay/pseuds/fuckuimgay
Summary: Not every relationship works out. People break up, just like Nico di Angelo and Will Solace did. High school sweethearts whose relationship ended before college. High school sweethearts who just want to forget each other, their memories together tainted by the bitter taste of grief and heartbreak.





	1. Chapter One: Nico

“Come on,” Hazel said while trying to tug her brother off of the couch.

“No.” Nico deadpanned

 “Nico!” Hazel shouted out while giving a sharp tug to his arm.

 “Hazel...” Nico rubbed his aching shoulder on the arm Hazel had relentlessly pulled at.

 “It’ll be fun,” she pled.

 “No parties are fun, especially when filled with people from high school.” Nico sulked.

 “Oh relax, Thalia’s coming back for the first time since well...”

 “Even more reason not to go.”

 “You’ve avoided talking to anyone involved for years Nico, I think this will be very beneficial to you.”

 “You’re not my therapist, Hazel.”

 “Well, you refuse to go to one so I have to be!” Hazel exclaimed out of frustration.

 “I love you,” Nico said, while standing up to press a kiss to his sister’s forehead. “But, you don’t have to babysit me. I’m fine, I’m the older sibling here.”

“You don’t act like it.”

“Yeah, well, Bianca was always better at it than I was.”

“Come on, you can see Percy again, Annabeth, Thalia, Reyna,” Nico smiled as Hazel listed off old friends, he did miss them and want to see them, “Will-” Nico’s smile disappeared.

“No I’m staying home.”

“Get your antisocial ass up!” Hazel groaned, as Nico sat down again.

“I’m staying home.”

“To hell you are. I’m dragging you there whether you like it or not.”

“Why is Thalia even back? Isn’t she on tour with the Hunters?”

“You can at least act like you want to see her.”

“I do. It’s just-”

“You’re mad?”

“A little.”

“It’s okay to still be grieving, Nico. A lot happened your senior year of highschool. A lot changed.”

“It’s been six years since that day. In exactly a week it’ll be seven.”

“I know we didn’t meet until after that happened...I never knew her but I did know him. I know he’d be pretty fucking proud of how far you’ve come. I would like to think she would be too.”

Nico smiled at his sister’s words. “When is this party?”

“Tomorrow!”

“Wait. Why the hell were you trying to drag me out of my apartment now, then?”

“To get you something to wear!”

“If this is a formal thing I haven’t grown since senior prom I still have my suit from then-”

“It’s not a formal thing I just want you to wear something other than black for a change.”

“Ouch.”

“The only person who could ever get you to wear colors was-”

“Okay! Let’s go shopping!” Nico said trying to get Hazel to drop the subject before she mentioned _him_ again.

“I was thinking a yellow shirt-”

His hair is blond.

“No.”

“Blue?”

His eyes are blue.

“No.” Nico rejected that idea the second it left Hazel’s lips. Nico _loved_ staring into those sky blue eyes. Keyword is loved. Past tense.

“Orange?” she tried, he has worn orange shirts a lot when Will made him, orange and black were his high school’s colors.

 _Him and that damn orange shirt he always wore,_ Nico thought sadly.

“Nope.”

“Purple?”

 _He_ always wore a purple shirt. A different he, not the same blue-eyed blond—well, he did have blue eyes, and was blond—orange-shirt-wearing man whom Nico wanted nothing to do with. Purple brought back bittersweet memories. Mostly sweet, granted, but still with a tinge of bitterness.

“Let’s just get whatever, Hazel.” Nico sighed, he was _not_ going to expel this much energy fighting with his sister when he knew she was going to win anyways and then have to be social the next day. His antisocial ass needed all the energy possible for tomorrow.

 

Hazel managed to talk Nico into getting a few different colorful outfits, telling him he needed to spice up his closet because _it was too_ _depressing, Nico, you need to live a little._. To that, he responded that it _fits my mood, alright?_. Which led to some yelling from Hazel urging him to talk to someone. And then, of course, his smart-ass response of _I’m talking to you right now_.

“That’s not what I meant,” Hazel swatted his arm.

“Look, Hazzy, I appreciate your concern, but I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time. I’m fine, Hazel. Don’t worry about me.”

“He’s going to be there, you know. Are you sure you still want to go?”

“Hey. It’s not like he broke my heart and it’s going to be painful to see him or anything. We just...didn’t work out as a couple. At least not then. Not during that time, we both needed different things we couldn’t be there for each other the way we needed to be.”

“Could you work out as a couple now?”

“Hazel…”

“What? Even when your relationship was on the rocks you were always happiest when Will was around. He made you happy Nico, I just want you to be happy. Plus, your last boyfriend was a total asshole.”

“Oh, don’t remind me of him.” Nico wrinkled his nose at the memory of his most recent ex.


	2. Will

Will wasn’t really entirely close with Thalia, whom the party was for, but Percy absolutely insisted he came. Besides, Thalia was the older sister to one of his old friends, Jason, and Will couldn’t pass up the chance to talk to her. Especially given everything that had happened six—almost seven—years ago.

So there Will stood, at the door to an apartment, with  _ his  _ old apartment just right next door. The party is at Percy’s parents house. Okay, maybe it’s not exactly a  _ party. _ More of a celebration, because Percy’s place is apparently cluttered with boxes, as Annabeth moved in just the other day. Besides, Percy’s mom absolutely loves Thalia. But right next door to Percy’s old apartment is where Will spent most of senior year every day after school and every weekend. Until the point where that relationship took a turn for the worse.

Will could hear laughing. Others were already there, Will was glad he wasn’t the first one to show up.

The door opened a few seconds after Will knocked, and of course, the one person he didn’t expect to see was standing there. Which now that he thought back on it was silly. Sure, the guy was antisocial and only went to parties when Will dragged him when they became friends in the last half of junior year, and then became more than that over the summer after Nico came out. But even being four years apart, Thalia and Nico were always close, even more so after the accident. Thalia and Nico had a sibling-like relationship, so it made sense that he would be there. Didn’t make the encounter any less awkward, though.

“Will.” Nico greeted him stiffly, avoiding his eyes.

“Nico, how are you?”

“You know I hate small talk.” Nico glared at him.

“Well what are we supposed to say to each other? We haven’t spoken in  _ years _ , Nico. I don’t know who you are anymore.”

_ “ _ Maybe that’s for the best _.”  _ It was barely above a whisper but Will still heard it. The five words pierced his heart, ten times more painful than the ones said to him five years ago. 

Seemed like the walls Will had spent so much time tearing down before he and Nico started dating were built back up again. Will had no idea how to bring them back down..

Will walked through the doorway as Nico motioned him inside, Will caught Nico’s half sister glancing at the two of them.

Fuck. This party was going to be  _ so _ much more awkward than Will anticipated. 


	3. Will—August, Six Years Earlier

“Hi,” Will cautiously greeted his boyfriend, who gave only a nod as his response. 

Nico had drawn himself in, had closed himself off, after the accident. No.  _ Accidents,  _ plural _.  _ He grew cold, especially towards Will. After grabbing Nico’s hand in his, Will felt his heart shatter as Nico pulled back and stuffed his hand into the pocket of the hoodie that he must be roasting in with as hot as it is outside. Not that it stopped him; Nico would die of heatstroke before wearing anything that he couldn’t retract himself into and disappear from the world.

Despite how cold Nico had grown, they did still have fun together. Will still loved Nico, and knew that Nico loved him. Nico may have guarded himself more and not have shown his feelings as much as he used to, which wasn’t much to begin with, but Will knew how Nico felt towards him. Which is why the next five words to tumble out of Nico’s mouth—especially considering they had just had a half hour pleasant conversation—granted it was without them mentioning how Nico retracted his hand—were unexpected, and broke him. 

The asphyxiating pressure in Will’s chest made him choke on his response, “B-breakup? You think we should breakup?

“I’m-I’m sorry, I just, I can’t.”

Will sat there in silence after being left alone on the park bench where Nico di Angelo shattered his heart. The silence was suffocating. Will choked on his own sobs. 

**Author's Note:**

> give love to my beta rose!! She’s blamethenargless here on ao3 and mxnorudean on twitter


End file.
